Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Writes Letter to PM for Payment of Billions in Dues

Islamabad:The Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur, has written a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, requesting the federal government to pay the province’s outstanding dues related to the net profits from hydroelectric power generation.

According to media reports, Gandapur emphasized that the province’s dues have now accumulated to 75 billion rupees due to non-payment. He highlighted that the delay in payments has led to a serious financial crisis for the provincial government, and an immediate resolution is necessary.

In the letter, Gandapur pointed out that the Constitution clearly states that the net profits from hydroelectric power plants should be allocated to the respective provinces. The formula for determining the share of these profits was approved by the Council of Common Interests, which also endorsed a methodology for its implementation.

The letter also stated that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had previously received an initial payment of 6 billion rupees based on a formula that set the rate at 1.10 rupees per kilowatt-hour. Moreover, an annual 5% increase in the payment was also included in the interim procedure. The payments to Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were initiated by WAPDA under this procedure.

Gandapur further mentioned that the provincial government had submitted its proposals to the Planning Commission for addressing the issue.

As per the letter, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s total outstanding dues have been confirmed at 128 billion rupees for the fiscal year 2016-17.

In conclusion, Gandapur assured that the provincial government would play a leading role in ensuring that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa receive their constitutional and legal rights.